Horrific is how i would describe the event. Horrific catastrophe. So horror seems fitting, tho modern film has skewed our definition of horror.

I wouldnt say its the magic system thats great. Its the environmental interactivity of the spells. Like water on the ground, if electrified will hit everyone in it, but then can be poisoned. If poisonous and fire i believe it makes necro-fire. Fire that wont go out with normal anti-fire measures. This sort of thing is the bread and butter of the game. I had a fire mage who would game more action points from being burnt and resisted fire, and so he would go nova and the entire map would be fire. And all the crazy interactions of fire and other things in the environment would make like electric fire and electrified blood steam and smoke that made it hard for ranged combat and breathing. The game is almost nuts for how many status effects and interactions there are.